Cigar caddie

ABSTRACT

A cigar caddie that has an elongated part tubular and part semi-tubular member for holding a cigar in the semi-tubular portion, and a hook or other securing member to secure the cigar caddie to a golf bag or golf cart. When the golfer is ready to make his next shot, he can put his lit cigar in the semi-cylindrical receiving cavity of the cigar caddie which has been secured to the golf bag or cart by placing the hook over the upper edge of the golf bag or over an available portion of the frame of the golf cart. The cigar caddie can be easily and quickly hooked on to the golf bag or cart and just as easily and quickly removed therefrom. It is a small compact item that can be readily stored in the golf bag and carried along from hole to hole.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) refers to and embodies the invention set forth in the provisional application titled CIGAR CADDIE filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office under 35 U.S.C. 111(b) by the same inventor on Aug. 2, 2000, the receipt of which was acknowledged on that date by the PTO Mail Center.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates to the field of golf accessories, and particularly to devices that enable a golfer who smokes cigars to temporarily put his lit cigar aside in a safe place while he takes his next shot and then easily as well as safely retrieve the lit cigar after the shot is made.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Prior to this invention, golfers have done such things as place their lit cigar on the ground while getting ready to address the ball and take their next swing, ask someone else to hold the cigar, try to balance it on a portion of the golf cart or other structure, and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The cigar caddie in accordance with this invention comprises an elongated partially cylindrical and partially semi-cylindrical holding member or carrier to receive a lit cigar therein, and a substantial durable buckle, clamp or hook member rigidly secured to the carrier for clamping to or hooking over the upper edge of a golf bag or a portion of the frame of the golf cart. The contact surface portions of the clamp or hook are relatively broad to provide a stable and secure positioning of the cigar caddie when the clamp or hook is in place on the golf bag or cart. The hook or buckle which is shown and described herein below includes a spring biased closure member movable between an open position to permit entrance into the buckle or hook recess and a closed position to close the entrance to the recess, normally biased to the closed position. The closure member is forced toward the open position when the hook is placed over the upper edge of the golf bag or frame portion of the golf cart. The spring bias of the closure member toward the opposite closed position presses the closure member against the wall of the golf bag or comparable portion of the golf cart to clamp the cigar caddie thereto, and thus add to the stability of the cigar caddie when in place on the bag or cart.

[0005] This invention is a substantial improvement over previous ways of temporarily putting a lit cigar aside while taking a golf shot, such as putting on the ground where moisture, fertilizer and the like can ruin the cigar, or if the ground is extremely dry can start a fire. This invention also eliminates the need to impose on someone else to temporarily hold the cigar while the shot is taken. It is no longer necessary to look around for some other structure having a flat surface on which to temporarily place the cigar while taking the golf shot, with the embarrassment of possibly having the lit end of the cigar scorch such structure that belongs to someone else.

[0006] The cigar caddie in accordance with this invention is also a durable item, preferably made of brass, that not only looks attractive but cannot be easily, if at all, bent or damaged. The user does not have to be concerned about damaging or breaking the cigar caddie by the way it is stored and carried along for use. It is also small enough to be easily stored in the golf bag.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0007]FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a golf bag having a cigar caddie in accordance with this invention releasably secured thereon, holding a lit cigar therein

[0008]FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a cigar caddie in accordance with this invention.

[0009]FIG. 3 is a plan view from above of the cigar caddie shown in FIG. 2.

[0010]FIG. 4 is an end elevation view of the cigar caddie in accordance with this invention taken from the open end of the receiving cavity, which also better illustrates the details of a securing hook, buckle or clamp member for use in securing the cigar caddie to a golf bag, a golf cart or other available structure.

[0011]FIG. 5 is an elevation view of a modified hook, buckle or clamp member for use as a second securing member on a cigar caddie in accordance with this invention having a modified tubular member and semi-cylindrical receiving cavity as shown in FIG. 6; the second securing member may be slidably spaced apart from the first hook, buckle or clamp member to provide more stable positioning of the receiving cavity and cigar therein substantially horizontal to the surface of the ground.

[0012]FIG. 6 is an end elevation view of the modified tubular member and semi-cylindrical receiving cavity of the cigar caddie in accordance with this invention taken from the front open end of the receiving cavity.

[0013]FIG. 7 is an elevation view of a golf bag having a cigar caddie releasably positioned thereon in which the cigar caddie includes both the original hook, buckle, clamp member and the second one shown in spaced apart relationship, both releasably secured to the upper edge of the golf bag in spaced apart locations.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0014] A cigar caddie 2 in accordance with the present invention comprises an elongated part tubular and part semi-tubular member 4 for holding a cigar 6, and a buckle or hook 8 or other securing member such as a clamp, to secure the cigar caddie 2 to a golf bag 10 or golf cart. When the golfer is ready to make his next shot, he can put his lit cigar 6 in the receiving trough or cavity 14 of the semi-tubular member 4 secured to the golf bag 10 or cart 12.

[0015] The part tubular and part semi-tubular member 4 includes a fully tubular portion 16 at its closed end 18, having a cylindrical side wall 20 and a closed end wall 22. The buckle or hook 8 is rigidly secured to the fully tubular portion 16 at its closed end 18, the buckle or hook 8 having a securing ring 24 with an inner diameter corresponding in dimension to the outer diameter of the cylindrical side wall 20 of the fully tubular portion 16 for a tight press fit.

[0016] Both the semi-tubular member 4 and buckle or hook 8 are preferably made of metal or other fire resistant material such as ceramic. The buckle, clamp or hook which does not come into contact with a lit cigar may be made of a non-fire resistant material such as plastic. A preferred material for the buckle, clamp or hook 8 and the part tubular, part semi-tubular member 4 is solid brass.

[0017] The hook 8 as shown in the drawing includes an arcuately shaped hooking member 26, curving upwardly from the securing ring 24 with which it is integrally formed and terminating in an arcuate and inverted U-shaped portion 28 defining a releasable fastening cavity 30. The hook 8 includes a spring biased closure member 32 movable between an open position to permit entry into the fastening cavity 30 and a closed position to releasably clamp or otherwise retain an item in the fastening cavity 30 after receipt therein. The closure member 32 is pivotally mounted or secured to the hook 8 by a pivot pin 34 through a portion of the hook body adjacent the juncture of the securing ring 24 and the lower end of the arcuately shaped hooking member 26 and is normally biased toward the closed position.

[0018] The receiving cavity 14 of the elongated semi-tubular member 4 extends forwardly of the fully tubular portion 16 and terminates in an open end 36 opposite from the closed end 18. A semi-cylindrical side wall 38 extends around the lower portion 40 of the receiving cavity 14 which has an open upper wall 42 to receive a cigar 6 therein. The semi-cylindrical side wall 38 includes a first elongated side edge 44 along one edge of the open upper wall 42 of the receiving cavity 14 and a second elongated side edge 46 along the opposite edge of the open upper wall 42, each of which taper downwardly as they extend forwardly to provide a tapering open end portion 47 of the receiving cavity 14 of the cigar caddie 2.

[0019] A second buckle or hook 48 or other securing member such as a clamp, may be provided to slide along the cylindrical side wall 20 and the semi-cylindrical side wall 38 from its original position adjacent the rigidly secured hook 8 at the closed end 18 towards the open end 36. The second hook 48 includes a ring member 50 which extends around the cylindrical side wall 20 similar to the ring 24 of the first hook 8. However, the bore 52 through the ring member 50 has an inner diameter sufficiently larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical side wall 20 to permit sliding the second hook 48 therealong.

[0020] To keep the upper portion 54 of the bore 52 of ring member 50 of the second hook 48 spaced apart above the receiving cavity 14 and from dropping down on a cigar placed therein when the second hook slides forward from the cylindrical side wall 20 to reach the semi-cylindrical side wall 38 and open upper wall 42 of the receiving cavity 14, the following structure is provided including a modified tubular member 104 seen in FIG. 6.

[0021] The elongated side edges 144 and 146 of the semi-cylindrical side wall 138 on opposite sides of the open upper wall 142 of the receiving cavity 14, each include short outwardly extending flanges 56 for reception in corresponding aligned slots 58 extending inwardly of the ring member 50 and opening to the bore 52 thereof. Thus, when the ring member 50 of the second hook 48 slides over that portion of the cigar caddie 2 having the receiving cavity 14 and semi-cylindrical side wall 138, the outwardly extending flanges 56 received in the corresponding slots 58 opening to the bore 52 of the ring member 50 keep the upper portion 54 of the bore 52 properly spaced apart above the open upper wall 42 of the receiving cavity 14 and a cigar that may be placed therein.

[0022] The diameter or cross-sectional dimension of the bore 52 must be larger that the combined diameter of the semi-cylindrical wall 138 and a cigar placed therein, so both can freely pass therethrough when the second hook 48 slides over that portion of the receiving cavity 14 in which the cigar is received.

[0023] The other parts of the second hook 48 are the same as those of the first hook 8, and the respective reference numbers for those remaining parts are the same.

[0024] In use, the cigar caddie 2 may be secured to a portion of the golf bag 10 or golf cart and held in position to receive and hold a lit cigar by placing the hooking member 26 of the hook 8 over the upper edge 60 of the golf bag 10 or a portion of the frame of the golf cart. At such time, the semi-tubular member 4 extends outwardly away from the bag 10 and is held in a substantially horizontal position, substantially parallel to the surface of the ground, to prevent the cigar from sliding out of the receiving cavity 14.

[0025] The second hook 48 which slides forwardly from the first hook 8 may be hooked over a spaced apart portion of the upper edge 60 of the golf bag 10 or frame of the golf cart to provide an even more stable positioning of the cigar caddie 2 thereon with its receiving cavity held more securely, and more firmly, in a substantially horizontal position substantially parallel to the surface of the ground. The cigar is thus held more securely in the receiving cavity 14 in a position that prevents it from sliding out through the open front end 36 if the caddie is inadvertently tipped downwardly.

[0026] The semi-cylindrical receiving cavity 14 preferably has a diameter corresponding closely to that of a typical cigar with which it is to be used to frictionally contact the facing sides of the cigar when received therein and snugly hold it in place. The cigar is placed in the receiving cavity so its lit end 62 extends over the open front end 36 of the caddie. 

I claim:
 1. A cigar caddie comprising a cigar holding member to releasably hold a cigar and a fastening member to releasably fasten said cigar holding member to a golf bag.
 2. A cigar caddie as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cigar holding member includes a semi-tubular portion having a receiving cavity therein, an arcuate side wall around a portion of said receiving cavity, said arcuate side wall terminating in a first side edge on one side of said receiving cavity and in a second side edge on the opposite side of said receiving cavity, said cavity having an open wall opening thereto between said first and second side edges.
 3. A cigar caddie as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cigar holding member includes a tubular portion having a receiving cavity therein, a cylindrical side wall around said receiving cavity.
 4. A cigar caddie as set forth in claim 1, wherein said fastening member includes a hook having a hooking member extending around a hooking cavity and an open entrance thereto.
 5. A cigar caddie as set forth in claim 1, wherein said fastening member is rigidly secured to said cigar holding member.
 6. A cigar caddie as set forth in claim 5, wherein said cigar holding member is elongated having a first end and an opposite second end, said fastening member is rigidly secured to said first end of said cigar holding member, a second fastening member mounted for movement along said cigar holding member from a position adjacent said first mentioned fastening member to any selected position away from said first mentioned fastening member in the direction toward said second end of said cigar holding member.
 7. A cigar caddie as set forth in claim 2, wherein said cigar holding member is elongated having a first end and an opposite second end, said fastening member is rigidly secured to said first end of said cigar holding member, a second fastening member mounted for movement along said cigar holding member from a position adjacent said first mentioned fastening member to any selected position away from said first mentioned fastening member in the direction toward said second end of said cigar holding member, said second fastening member having a ring member, a bore through said ring member to slidingly receive said semi-tubular portion of said cigar holding member therethrough, a first short flange extending outwardly from said first side edge of said arcuate side wall, a second short flange extending outwardly from said second side edge of said arcuate side wall, said ring member of said second fastening member having a first receiving slot opening to said bore in registration to slidingly receive said first short flange of said first side edge of said arcuate side wall when said second fastening member slides along said cigar holding member, said ring member of said second fastening member having a second receiving slot opening to said bore in registration to slidingly receive said second short flange of said second side edge of said arcuate side wall when said second fastening member slides along said cigar holding member.
 8. A cigar caddie as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cigar holding member comprises a tubular portion terminating at a first end, a cylindrical cavity therein, a cylindrical side wall around said cylindrical cavity, an elongated semi-cylindrical portion integrally formed with said tubular portion and extending therefrom to terminate at a second end, a receiving cavity in said elongated semi-cylindrical portion having an open upwardly facing wall for reception of a cigar in said receiving cavity, a semi-cylindrical side wall around said receiving cavity, said fastening member including a hook rigidly secured to said cigar holding member at said first end thereof, said hook having a hook cavity to receive an upper edge portion of a golf bag to releasably hold said cigar cavity in place on said golf bag.
 9. A cigar caddie as set forth in claim 8, wherein said hook includes a spring biased closure member positioned for movement between an open position to open entrance to said hook cavity and a closed position to close the entrance to said hook cavity, said closure member normally biased to said closed position.
 10. A cigar caddie as set forth in claim 8, wherein said semi-cylindrical side wall terminates at a first elongated side edge on one side of said open upper wall of said receiving cavity and at a second elongated side edge on the opposite side of said open upper wall of said receiving cavity, cigar holding member includes a tapering section at said second end thereof wherein said first and second elongated side edges taper downwardly as they extend forwardly to terminate at said second end.
 11. A cigar caddie as set forth in claim 8, wherein said receiving cavity to receive said cigar therein has a semi-cylindrical cross-sectional configuration with a diameter closely matching that of said cigar to frictionally contact and snugly hold the facing portions of said cigar when received therein.
 12. A cigar caddie as set forth in claim 1, wherein said fastening member includes a buckle having a hooking member extending around a hooking cavity and an open entrance thereto.
 13. A cigar caddie as set forth in claim 1, wherein said fastening member includes a clamp.
 14. A cigar caddie as set forth in claim 13, wherein said clamp includes a spring biased clamping member moveable between a closed clamping position and an open receiving position, said clamping member being normally biased to said closed clamping position.
 15. A cigar caddie and golf bag in combination, including positioning means to hold a cigar substantially horizontal while in said cigar caddie. 